


Falling in Reverse

by theauthor2010



Category: Glee
Genre: Genderbending, Homelessness, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-25
Updated: 2011-09-29
Packaged: 2017-10-23 01:50:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/244917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theauthor2010/pseuds/theauthor2010
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been eight years since he'd last seen Kurt Hummel. He had always dreamed of their reunion, of course, never expected that that reunion would occur in an alleyway or that Kurt would be homeless and pregnant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for: mpreg, the existence of a third biological sex

The alleyway behind the shopping center was vacant, at least to the naked eye. Dave waved his flashlight down it to confirm that. He was responding to a report of homeless loitering and vagrancy. He always felt like shit, kicking a homeless dude from the place he was just trying to sleep, but that was the way the law worked. It wasn't always a noble pursuit. Luckily it seemed like nobody was there.

He radioed in that bit of info, before walking down the alleyway himself. It was a minor security issue, nothing big, and it seemed like nothing. "Anyone down here?" he asked casually, trying not to seem too police-like, even though he was in uniform. It scared people. "Hello?"

"If anyone was here, they vacated fast," he mumbled. "Grouchy old hen that made the call probably scared 'em all way." He glanced around and then turned around. Just as he turned, he heard a noise like something falling. He aimed his flashlight, expecting a stray cat. He found a person. Dave paused, calming himself and speaking in a clear voice. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. What are you doing here?"

He got a little closer and noticed a pregnant stomach. The woman was desperately trying to hide her face. "Honey you're not in trouble," he said in a comforting voice. "I'm not going to take you in or anything, I just want to help you out."

The person looked up at Dave and his heart stopped beating for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak but he couldn't breathe. The face on the beautiful pregnant person was one that had haunted his dreams for the last eight years. It wasn't a pregnant woman at all, but a man, or well, a Tertius, a member of the third sex. It was someone that Dave had loved a very long time ago. "Kurt," he whispered, finally managing a word and it was that name, the name at the top of all the silly love letters he'd ever written.

Kurt looked at him with big, expressive eyes and then shook his head. Dave saw the word "no" on his lips. He started to move, trying to get away, but Dave followed him. "Kurt, don't run away from me," he said, his voice stronger. Dave was relying on his cop-voice to keep him from turning into a bawling baby, reminiscent of his teenage self.

"Get away!" Kurt yelled, but he stopped. Dave could see the absolute terror in his eyes. "Get away from me!"

"I'm not going to hurt you," Dave promised him. "I'm just here responding to a call, that's all."

"A…c-call?"

"Some old bat who owns a shop here complained about people loitering in the alleyway," he mumbled, under his breath. He looked at Kurt and couldn't believe he was staring at the boy he used to be in love with. It seemed surreal. He took a deep breath.

"It's really easy for people with homes to complain about the homeless wrecking their vision," Kurt spat out. He stared at Kurt's stomach as he spoke, absolutely fascinated by it. He had met a few Terts, as they were sometimes called, but it was still a very rare thing.  
"Kurt, I had no idea that you were…"

"Neither did my boyfriend," Kurt snapped bitterly, leaning against the wall, "before he decided he hated me."

"He had to have known if he…no offense…"

Kurt glared at him. "I told him," he said. "He said that he'd deal with it, like it was some kind of sickness. He didn't feel the same way, however, when I informed him that I was pregnant with our child. He also took the liberty of announcing my sex to the world and the fashion industry we were both a part of. Are you going to arrest me, David? I am moving along."

Dave couldn't help think of the years that had passed. "I'm not arresting you Kurt," he said softly. He kept saying his name, just trying to make the encounter real. "Will you come home with me? I'm off-duty after following up on that woman's call. Come over, please."

Kurt looked at him hesitantly, as if he didn't really believe his request was real. He winced like he was in pain, but surprisingly, he nodded. That wince made Dave wonder.

"How far-"

"Almost seven months," Kurt said quickly. He hobbled along in front of Dave to his car. Dave had to resist the overwhelming urge to help him along.

"All clear," he radioed in, before helping Kurt into the car and driving back to his little New York apartment. He took a very deep breath and shook his head. He couldn't believe this. He could not believe it. There was a long silence as they drove that made every little sound obvious to the alert cop. He took a deep breath and rolled his eyes at his own anxious nature. It was silly, positively silly.

"I know you want to ask," Kurt said, breaking the silence.

Maybe Dave would have preferred that horrible silence. He did want to ask though. "How are you homeless?" he asked. "I get that your dude dumped you on your ass and made the industry hate on you, but c'mon, you always used to have all those people on your side. What happened there?"

Kurt looked away but spoke all the same. "My father passed away two years ago," he said softly. "His heart condition caught up with him. Carole was devastated and ended up moving to the East Coast. I've been out of contact with my friends for a long time. I considered going back to find Finn somewhere, but I never got the courage to. I've been sleeping on couches when I can, benches when I can't."

"You're pregnant…"

"I'm also a guy," Kurt said. "Society still hasn't grown enough to be comfortable with the third sex thing."

"I'm sorry."

When they got to the apartment, Dave pulled the car into the parking structure. He parked it and walked around to help Kurt out of the car. He opened the door and very gently grabbed Kurt's arm to help him out. Kurt glared at him, reminding Dave that he was never the kind to allow people to take care of him. They walked upstairs slowly and Dave unlocked the apartment door.

They were greeted by a meow. Kurt's eyes widened as Dave's grey cat Star trotted up to him and rubbed her face against his leg. Kurt looked at the animal with alarm. "Don't worry, she's a good girl," Dave assured him. "That's Star, the resident queen." Kurt took a seat on his sofa and Star took that as a cue to jump up and purr against the new guest. She didn't see a lot of strangers - that was for sure.

Kurt hesitantly pet the cat on the top of her head. "Why Star?"

Dave gently lifted the cat with one hand to show Kurt the marking on her belly in a darker grey that reminded him of a star. "She's also a diva, but that's probably because she's spoiled," he admitted, setting her back down. She gave him a look before walking in a circle and settling down next to Kurt.

He looked Kurt over and noticed that the other man was shivering. It was a tiny tremor that was as delicate looking as he was. He was cold. Dave quickly went to turn up the heat. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "I can whip something up."

Kurt hesitated to answer, which was as good as an answer to Dave, who immediately went into the kitchen. He pulled out a couple of cans of soup from the pantry, deciding that was the fastest, most filling thing he could make. While preparing the soup, he couldn't help think about how insane it was. His high school love was in his living room, heavily pregnant and homeless. What was he supposed to do now? Overwhelmed, his head spun a little. He decided that he was going to do his best and just finish making some soup.

Dave had always had a strong urge to protect people. Even in high school when he was a bully who was messed in the head, he wanted to keep people safe. Kurt needed him right then and it was a blessing in disguise. He could handle it. He could take care of Kurt and could figure this out. Kurt Hummel deserved the best. He'd always had such an impact on Dave. It had been eight years but he could still remember the overwhelming emotion. Kurt had evoked so much feeling. Dave was a man who had come into his own now but Kurt still mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt ate the food eagerly, all the while trying to pretend he wasn't absolutely starving. Dave tried to avert his eyes out of respect. He couldn't imagine not having enough to eat, especially when your body was supporting another life. As much as he was relying on old memories of Kurt Hummel, he couldn't forget that at that instant, the man he once loved was carrying a kid. There was a kid there. "I can't believe that you're here after all of these years," he mumbled, unable to stop himself from saying those words out loud. It was Kurt, his first-freakin-love, that made it hard to stop living in the memories. There were no words that could adequately express how confused the whole thing made him, anyway.

Kurt looked up at Dave for a moment. He stayed silent as he ate, though, apparently unable to find anything to say. "So, a cop?" he finally asked, finishing the food and then putting the spoon back into the bowl. He was trying to deflect the conversation over to Dave and Dave accepted that. It would be difficult for Kurt to talk about the condition he was in. He was always such a prideful person.

"Yep, a cop," he said. "I was always pretty interested in law enforcement. After high school I went to college for awhile and realized that I wanted to become a police officer. It was staring me right in the face. I wanted to, y'know, protect the people who need protecting...I've always wanted to protect people. I wasn't sure if I could make a difference, but I wanted to stand up for people who needed it."

Kurt smiled at that, probably remembering a ridiculous uniform and a red beret, if the sparkle in his eyes meant anything. "That's awesome," Kurt said. "I always knew that you were the protective kind. I saw that in you a long time ago. You cared about people and had the strength to keep them safe. You just didn't know how to use it yet." Dave listened to that intently, wondering if Kurt really saw all that in the stupid high school boy he was.

Kurt looked at Dave nervously after he finished eating. He touched the side of his bowl, awkwardly, and averted his eyes. There was a long silence that Dave would have filled if only he knew how. Kurt looked at the clock that Dave knew was situated just over his shoulder. "I can go..."

"No." He surprised himself with the rough authority in his voice. Kurt even jumped a little. "Stay. It's me and the cat: we have plenty of room. I'll go get you some clothes to change into." With that, Dave left the room, being absolutely no-nonsense about it. He wasn't going to let a pregnant person - man, woman, whatever the sex - go onto the streets, especially not Kurt. He owed Kurt the world and he was going to start paying it.

He came back a moment later, handed Kurt some clothes and gestured him to the bathroom. "You can change there," he said quietly. He let Kurt go, head reeling. This was insane. He never imagined that this could happen to him. He never imagined that he would see Kurt again, nevertheless become suddenly responsible for him and for an unborn child.

Kurt came back wearing his clothes. Even though he was so-freakin'-pregnant they still looked huge on him. Kurt looked vulnerable and young and it scared him. He stared for a long moment, before breaking the spell and looking away. He wasn't scared of Kurt but of his emotions. His emotions were doing some crazy things and his head couldn't take them all at once. Kurt very slowly made his way to the couch, resting his hand on his stomach. That drew Dave's eyes down to it and once again he was embarrassed. He was thinking like the awkward seventeen year old version of himself. He was an adult and so was Kurt.

"You've gone far since we were in high school," Kurt mentioned offhandedly. He looked at Dave with the big, expressive eyes that Dave remembered being infatuated with at one point. He looked close to tears, like he always looked when he was talking to the tragic closet-case bully. "I can tell that you let go of all the stuff holding you back in high school. I'm right, aren't I?"

Dave nodded. He figured he owed Kurt that explanation. "I came out to my parents at the end of senior year," he said. "They had a tough time with it at first, because it was so unexpected but they pulled through. I found out that most of the problems I had with myself were all in my head. I was internalizing so much shit and outside, to the people who mattered at least, I was still me. It didn't matter."

Kurt gave him a small smile and laughed. "I could have told you that."

Dave nodded. "You could have."

Star chose that moment to feel ignored and jumped up onto the couch. She nuzzled up against Kurt's belly, sniffing in confusion. "She's never seen a pregnant person before," Kurt said with a slight sparkle to his eyes. Dave knew that he was probably devastated and in a bad place. His smile seemed out of place, as if he hadn't used it in quite awhile. He pet her head, lightly. "I promise it's not going to bring any harm to you. You're still the diva ruler of this house."

They talked for awhile after that, before Dave had to dismiss himself to bed. He remade the bed in the extra bedroom for Kurt first, of course. He had to sleep because he had an early shift in the morning. He laid himself down, trying his best not to think about the boy in the next room. It was hard not to, however. All he could think about was the desperation, the obsession and the love that had controlled much of his youth.

That night, Dave dreamt of a locker room and of a proud, angry teenager. He dreamt of the way that he stormed after his high school bully and demanded answers for all the torment. He saw clearly in his mind's eye the moment that all hell broke loose in his own mind and he leaned down and gripped Kurt's face, capturing him in an unwanted kiss.

He'd always hate that moment and at the same time accept it for the turning point it was. Kurt gave him the eventual courage to be who he was born to be.

When Dave woke up the next morning, he'd half convinced himself that finding a heavily pregnant Kurt was a dream. He had to literally open the door to the spare bedroom and peek inside to make sure it was for real. It was definitely for real. Kurt slept on his back, tilted slightly to the left. His face was completely peaceful and his breath came in slow, shallow breaths. He was there and Dave was going to make things right for him. He quickly shut the door again and returned to his room to dress for work.


	3. Chapter 3

Work was horrifying for Dave. As a police officer, you had to keep your head in the game and your mind focused. Dave, however, was only focused on the pregnant man living in his apartment. He barely made it through the day and when he was finally cleared to go home, he breathed out a sigh of relief.

He returned to his apartment to smell something delicious and to hear an angelic voice belting out showtunes. His heart stopped and he opened the door. "Kurt?" he asked, walking into the kitchen. "Hey, what's up?"

Kurt turned back toward him, smiling sheepishly. "Hi," he said shyly. "I hope you don't mind but I made you dinner. I figured that, well, it's the least I can do considering that you let me spend the night. I just noticed you had some frozen chicken and some lettuce that was still good..."

"Yeah I don't cook much with my odd hours," he mumbled. "Thank you Kurt."

Kurt shrugged, walking some dishes to the table. He dished out the food quickly, sitting down and looking tired. "I can leave any time, okay David?" he mumbled. "Don't feel you owe me or anything, because you don't. I'm homeless and can't give you more than a home cooked meal...you know that I made with your food..."

"Relax Kurt. Eat with me and talk to me. It's all good. I'm lonely too you know." He tilted his head to the side, giving a pathetic look to try and ease the tension and let Kurt know that he was very much wanted there and wasn't a burden at all. He had a feeling it was very important to Kurt that he know that. He needed to know that Dave wanted him there. It also didn't hurt to joke around a bit to diffuse the tension.

They ate dinner together in mostly silence. Kurt tried to break it some by asking about his day, but Dave's day was very typical and uneventful. He was also so distracted by his thoughts of Kurt, but that was the last thing in the world he wanted to say. As they ate, Kurt's pregnancy became a thought at the top of Dave's mind. He was heavily pregnant. Tertius pregnancies were supposed to be monitored more carefully than regular female pregnancies, right? You also needed to get a doctor that specialized in them, because there were many medical professionals, like people in general, who were prejudiced against those who fell outside the boundaries of man or woman. Kurt was homeless, so Dave was guessing that he hadn't been going to a doctor for regular examinations.

"Kurt, have you…seen a doctor?" Dave asked hesitantly, after chewing a bite of his food.

Kurt looked up at him with sad, haunted eyes and shook his head slowly. Guilt flooded through his features and Dave could see that the fact he had not hurt him. "Well, when I first became pregnant and still had my medical insurance I did, but I haven't been able to since. I know that I'm horrible Dave. I j-just haven't been able to do it, you know? I haven't been able to find steady work, housing, any of that…so of course I couldn't…"

"Kurt, I don't blame you."

Kurt silenced at his strong, commanding words. He only stayed silent for a moment though, because his sadness flooded through again and he shoved his plate aside, tears in his eyes. "I've tried so hard for this kid," he said softly. "I had the opportunity to have an abortion but I didn't, because I was trying so hard. I k-know that I probably would have done better by it to do that, but I couldn't. I just – I just want to do right by the kid but I can't. E-everything fell apart." He closed his eyes and tried to stop himself but failed and covered his eyes so that Dave couldn't see them.

"I want my dad so freaking badly right now," Kurt whispered in the middle of a choked sob. "I didn't just lose my dad when he died. I l-lost everything. I lost my family. I had nothing, so I just – I just threw myself into work and at my boyfriend, Rick. Sex and work became the only things that I did, the only things of importance at least. I should have realized that they weren't anything to live for, because when they were gone, well you're the one who found me in an alleyway."

Dave didn't know what overcame him, but he got up and walked over to the other side of the table, wrapping both arms around Kurt and hugging him. He felt so badly for the smaller man. "I'll find a doctor for you," he promised. "It'll be okay."

"I can't…I can't be a burden like this," Kurt whispered, before breaking down completely. Dave held onto him as he cried and Kurt just sagged against him. He bent down and held Kurt tightly for a moment, waiting for the sobs to subside. "I should have had an abortion. I should have given the baby up. I just held onto the only thing that made me feel like I had a family again. Rick couldn't take it and let me go, just like everyone else does. David, I am so sorry. I can't do this to you, I can't."

"You're not doing anything to me," Dave promised, letting go because he felt like he was crossing a serious line. "You saved my life when I was a kid. Let's call us even."

Kurt closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, hyperventilating. "I have to get better," he told Dave, looking up at him after a few of those long, drawn out moments. "I owe it to this child to get myself into a better place. I need to find my family. I need to do something. I need to talk to Finn again. I can't keep up like this."

"I'll help you."


	4. Chapter 4

Dave never really had any issue with focusing on his duties as a police officer until this incident with Kurt arose. He wasn't very good at hiding it either. He had been working on the force with a woman named Kendall Rose for about two years now and Kendall knew him well. "David, what on earth is going on?" she asked, while the two of them took time to eat their lunches. "I'm getting scared for you. If you need to take a couple of days leave, you should. Your head isn't in the game."

Dave looked up at her and smiled wearily. He really didn't enjoy talking about himself or his problems but he had trusted this woman with his life. "I've told you about being a kid, right?" he asked. "How I was a messed up homophobe, not out of the closet, and a pretty sick bully?" He knew he had but he was sort of humoring himself. He didn't want to confess all of this like a big, messed up baby. He didn't want to have to literally start blubbering to the strongest woman that he knew.

"I believe I heard the story once or twice," she said, playfully. "David, what is it?"

"I was saved in a roundabout way by Kurt Hummel," he said. "This kid gave me so much courage. He showed me what it was like to be unafraid, to stand up to adversity, all that kind of stuff. He was so brave. He didn't let anyone define him or tell him what he was going to be. He was always so strong. I loved him. He was honestly the first person I ever felt romantic attraction for. I fell in love…"

"Oh sweetie…"

"He's back," Dave said quietly, looking into her eyes. She had nice eyes, crystal blue, but a lot darker than Kurt's. If he were a straight man he would have fallen for her in an instant. "I found him when I was doing a sweep the other night for vagrants. He's pregnant and homeless. He's really pregnant, like about to pop. He's staying at my place and I don't know what to do. I mean this is the kid that saved my life."

Kendall was silent for awhile. She chewed her lunch, looking at Dave and licking her lips thoughtfully. "Davey, maybe it's your turn to save him," she said softly. "He obviously has a lot of needs and if he's a Tertius then he's not getting a lot of help from our stupid ass community as a whole. He needs you babe. You can do for him what he did for you as a kid, right?" Dave knew there was a reason he had told her. She wasn't just the strongest woman he knew, she was also the smartest.

Dave took her words to heart. Kurt needed him. He took three days leave that afternoon and went back home. When he came home, Kurt was cooking again and singing a song to his baby kitten while he waited for whatever it was that smelled so good in that pot to boil. It sounded vaguely familiar and Dave was sure that he'd heard it in a Disney movie before. "What's that song?" he asked, entering the kitchen.

Kurt blushed but then turned to Dave with an indignant look. "You don't know Once Upon a Dream?" he asked, sticking his tongue out. "Disney education David, you need one."

Dave shrugged and took a deep breath because seeing Kurt like that reminded him of just how much it hurt to love and want him. It was this insane thing that was always pressing at the back of his mind, taunting him because he was closeted and Kurt was the furthest thing from the closet to ever exist. It had hurt so much. "I'll get one for you," he choked out.

Dinner was peaceful until Kurt asked him about his past romantic relationships while they were eating. He choked on his food and then looked at the boy. "Sorry, I know that was probably out of line," Kurt admitted, the faintest traces of a smile on his face. "I just remember a desperate boy so deep in the closet it hurt to watch. I really can't help wanting to know how he turned into a good guy, a gentle police officer."

Dave chuckled at that. He wasn't sure he was a good guy but he was at least a far cry from who he was. "I owe you that story, I guess," he mumbled. "I came out of the closet our senior year actually, well, at home at least."

Kurt perked up at that. "I would have had no idea. That was probably the best way to go."

"It was," he said. "My parents weren't thrilled that I was gay, but they weren't outright homophobic or hateful. They learned over time too. Now, my dad actually makes it a habit of asking me if I've met the right man yet. I am always disappointing him with my "no." It's funny. Years ago my being gay bugged him, now he's more bothered by the fact that I'm terminally single."

"Terminally single, huh?" Kurt asked, laughing lightly. "Tell me you've had some good relationships."

"One," he said quickly. "My boyfriend when I was still in training. He was my first. We had a really awesome time together. He was…kind of like you in a way." Dave sighed as he remembered his relationship with Trenton. They did really well together, but it couldn't last. Trent knew that Dave was in love with someone else. He knew that Dave had always been in love with someone else and even encouraged Dave to go and find Kurt. Dave had never followed his words, but they were still friends to this day. Good friends, but their time as boyfriends was done for. "After that, I have been this terminally single guy without much luck."

"Better than me," Kurt mumbled, looking down at his stomach.

"Whatever happened with you and prissy pants?" Dave asked, immediately catching what he'd just said and turning bright red. Was he really still bitter over the dapper idiot of a boyfriend that Kurt had in high school? Was he still jealous? "I'm sorry, that was so out of line it's not even funny. You guys were pretty cool in high school."

"Drifted apart," Kurt said tensely, leading Dave to believe there was more to that story. "I didn't even really date again until I met Rick. I don't trust guys easily anymore, David. It's just bad news."

The dinner took a darker turn from there. Kurt went to the spare bedroom to sleep shortly after, leaving Dave feeling awful. He just wanted to make Kurt happy. He wanted to be the hero in the story for once.


	5. Chapter 5

They talked to each other for a long time, just catching up on the turns their lives had taken. It broke Dave's heart just how much Kurt's life had turned for the worst. For a second, they looked into each other's eyes. For some reason that made Kurt lose it. "I should have aborted when I had the chance," he admitted, putting one hand on top of his stomach and looking suddenly apologetic. Dave realized he was apologizing to his child for those words. "Even now, I should probably look into a way to give the baby up for adoption. I'm no good to be a parent. I can't even keep myself alive."

Dave looked at Kurt, unable to handle the anger, anguish and self pity coming off of him. He was one of the most confident people that Dave knew at one time and to see that shattered, well, that kind of sucked. He stood up and approached the man. He wrapped his arms around Kurt and gave him the best hug that he could. "You're surviving," he said softly. "I mean, c'mon dude, you and I both know that with the economy where it is and the job prejudice your dick boyfriend sent your way…" He trailed off, hoping Kurt understood what he meant.

"You became so sweet," Kurt said with a pathetic sounding laugh. The sound absolutely broke Dave's heart. He didn't want to let go. He could have held on forever just to make Kurt feel better. "I'm amazed. If I didn't have this baby, David, then I would have absolutely nothing to live for. If I wasn't pregnant I would have done something horrible to myself. I have nothing."

"I'll give you something," he blurted out, letting go and sitting across from Kurt again. The thought of Kurt harming himself made Dave sick. "You saved me from killing myself."

Kurt looked up at that, a confused expression flickering across his face. "What?"

"I know you probably don't remember it," Dave muttered softly, "but there was a day in our junior year when I apologized for everything I did to you."

"How could I forget?" Kurt asked, wearily. "I know that it's been awhile but that's probably one of the few days from my junior year in high school that I won't forget. I'll never forget the look on your face or the sincerity that was finally coming to you. Ugh, I know I'm being a drama queen, but seriously, David, trust me. I will never forget that."

Dave blinked at all of the emotions coming off of Kurt. He nodded. "I was ready to give up then and there," he admitted quietly. "I know that suicide is like one of the stupidest things in the world, but I was at a point where even that was a thought on my mind. I apologized to you that day because I was so freaking tired of pretending I didn't feel things and it came out. After you told me that you knew and that all you saw was m-my pain, well, you saved me. I worked my ass off after that to do better. I got the help I needed."

Kurt stared at him with big, vulnerable eyes. "I didn't know that you were in that bad of a state," he whispered. "I literally had no idea."

"You don't exactly share those things," he said seriously, "especially not when you're a terrified kid on the brink of giving up. Anyway, I just really wanted to let you know that I used you as a figure in my mind, to tell me what I was working for and to not give up. I wanted to be like you. I think that I sort of succeeded, although my fashion sense is seriously lacking." He cracked a smile.

Kurt smiled back, almost looking as though he surprised himself with it. "Well, wearing the uniform most of the time certainly helps you out," he said with a tiny laugh that made Dave so freaking happy, "but I'll be glad to extend my help if you need it. I'm not exactly at the front of fashion right now, carrying around thirty pounds of beach ball child."

"Trust me, it looks great on you." Dave bit his lip but it slipped out anyway. He blushed and turned his head a little. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything rude by that. I mean, you just see people who are…you know, having kids…and they never look as good as you do, unless they're like made up television people or something."

Kurt looked absolutely embarrassed by that little smile remained on his face. "Thanks David," he said. "I've always been on the thin side but I was worried that I was getting underweight. I think that seeing the doctor tomorrow will make me feel so much better. Are…are you sure that I'm not putting you out? I mean, you're already helping me see a doctor which is more than I can ask for, but I can start looking for a place to stay. I'm already looking for work."

Dave shook his head. "Don't worry about putting me out or whatever," he said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "I'm doing fine. I'm very happy to be able to help you out. I took a few days off of work because my head's not in the game."

Kurt opened his mouth but then hesitated and closed it again. What he asked was absolutely surprising to Dave. "Would you come with me tomorrow? I just really don't know if I can go alone."

"Of course," he said simply.

The next morning, Dave woke up, showered and got dressed. He made special care to dress nicely, just so he could show Kurt how well he cleaned up. When he got together and walked into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, Kurt was already up and dressed. He looked at Dave with those perfect, pretty blue eyes and smiled. "Good morning," he said. "You look really amazing today. It's like you have a special occasion or something."

"Well I do," he said shrugging. "With luck I get to meet your kid."

Kurt blushed again. They sat at the table together, eating a quick breakfast and Dave consuming large amounts of coffee. After that they made the trek down to the local doctor's office that Dave found for Kurt. It was a small clinic. According to the information that Dave received, they were strictly anti-discrimination and the main Doctor was well known for his work with Tertius anatomy. It seemed like the best place for Kurt. Despite Kurt walking in with trepidation and obvious nerves, the first thing the receptionist did was gush and ask when he was due.

"Oh, um, I'm about two months off…" Kurt mumbled, looking oddly shy. "Thank you for asking."

They sat down and Kurt began filling out the required forms, continuously muttering under his breath. "Oh God, this is so humiliating," he murmured low. "I'm absolutely scared. How the hell am I doing this? I just hope the baby's okay…If the baby's okay then it'll be a goddamned miracle…"

"The baby is going to be fine," Dave reassured, reaching out and grabbing Kurt by the hand. Kurt instinctively held his hand back. "He or she has you as a parent."

Kurt shook his head. He finished the form and they both waited until they heard the words hey were waiting for.

"Kurt Hummel."


	6. Chapter 6

The examination was relatively routine. Dave stayed in the room with Kurt, but moved aside at the more embarrassing parts. All seemed to be pretty well, at least if the male doctor's nodding meant anything. The examination concluded with an ultrasound. Kurt seemed incredibly anxious at this. "David, come here," he said, the pitch of his voice rising, obviously with anxiety. Dave moved over to his side and grabbed his hand. Kurt positively squeezed it.

The image on the screen looked like every other ultrasound picture Dave had ever seen. He looked away from the picture out of respect. "W-what is it? Is the baby healthy?" Dave looked at the ultrasound again when Kurt spoke.

"What we have here is a healthy baby girl," the doctor said, nodding sagely. "She seems to be pretty healthy, but I am a little worried about some signs of malnourishment in you. I want you to focus on eating healthy, taking care of your body. I'm also going to give you a list of vitamins you can take immediately. These vitamins are similar to regular prenatal vitamins but are also geared toward your anatomy."

Kurt nodded slowly. Dave listened intently to all of her instructions, getting the strangest feeling Kurt blanked out the moment he heard the words: healthy baby girl. Kurt was just staring at her, his eyes wide and full of half-shed tears. "Girl," he mouthed. Dave could see the shock in his eyes. He had not been expecting to find out that his baby was healthy and had a chance at being a normal, happy baby girl.

"Have you thought of a name?" Dave asked to calm him down, absolutely mesmerized by the slight movement on the ultrasound screen. He wasn't sappy enough to go crazy over babies in general, but something about this kid fascinated him. She was Kurt's baby. She was Kurt's little girl.

"I haven't had much time to think," Kurt muttered back in a slightly panicked tone. "I think her middle name will be Karen for my mom though. I'll feel it when I know it."

Dave nodded shakily. "That's awesome," he said. He was still transfixed. It was something beautiful, something amazing. After some time, the doctor cleaned Kurt up and gave Kurt the printouts and video from the ultrasound examination. He ordered Kurt to come back in the next couple of weeks, something that made a bothered look cross Kurt's face. Dave figured they would get to that hurdle when the time came.

They walked out of the office with a weight lifted, but others added. Of course, the baby being healthy was better than anything else either of them could have asked for. "David, I don't really know how to thank you for taking me to the doctor," Kurt mumbled under his breath. He looked away, deliberately avoiding Dave's eyes even when Dave tried to look at him. "It means so much to me."

He wanted to force Kurt to look at him, but that would have just been awkward, so he blushed and walked along. "Don't worry about it, kay?" he said seriously. "Don't worry about a thing except for you and the kid. The rest will sort itself out."

"I hope it does," Kurt said softly, giving him a gentle smile that practically melted Dave's heart. He was such a sap these days.

That was when Dave's stomach made an awkward noise and gave him an idea. "Hey, Kurt, we're just a few blocks away from a really good cafe type restaurant," he said. "Do you want to catch lunch?" He hoped he wasn't being too presumptuous but he really wanted to spend more time with Kurt. Plus, as his stomach showed him, he was starving.

Kurt looked at him for a long time and Dave was convinced he was going to say no. He opened his mouth to tell Kurt that it was his pleasure and he was really hungry, when Kurt gave him a hesitant, "yes."

"Awesome," Dave said, opening the car door for Kurt. He let Kurt into the veichle before taking the driver's seat himself and heading up to the place.

When they arrived there, they were seated instantly. "So, you know this place," Kurt mumbled, trying his best to make some kind of conversation.

"I love it," he said nodding. "My friends on the force took me here last year and it's become my favorite. The sandwiches are my favorite."

"Awesome."

They ordered drinks, but after that, the conversation went dry and they fell into a nearly painful silence. Dave looked at Kurt's pretty face and then looked away, trying his best to stop staring. He knew that it was rude and way out of line, but Kurt got to him in ways that nobody else ever could. He tried to shake it off, looking around the small cafe. It was an off time so there weren't many people in the place. It was nice, quiet and there was a lot of room for talking. He tried his best to calm down, taking slow, deep breaths. He asked Kurt the first question that came to mind. "So Kurt," he said, as the waitress brought back his drink, "what was your favorite part about McKinley Hell? I always wondered what parts appealed to you."

Kurt looked at him with an expression of surprise on his face. It was gentle and slightly confused. Dave didn't blame him for being confused. Dave didn't want to relive those moments either. "I guess that it'd be placing in the top five at Nationals during our senior year," he said softly, a dreamy expression on his face. Dave realized that he was probably bringing painful images back to Kurt as well. High school was hell for him but for Kurt it was probably happier times.

"I always wished that I had joined that stupid..." Dave stopped himself, just as he said the word. "I don't mean stupid. I just...really wanted to but couldn't."

"I understand. It was a great feeling being in New Directions." Kurt looked at Dave, his eyes growing slightly misty. Dave smiled at him apologetically. God he was like the stupidest man alive. He took another drink, feeling idiotic. "It was an amazing time, but I guess it wasn't as good as I thought it was because those feelings didn't last. Those friendships didn't last. I haven't seen Rachel, Mercedes, any of them, not in years…" Kurt took a long, deep breath.

"My friendships from back then didn't last either," Dave defended, but he didn't know if it was the same thing. His friends were all jerks who isolated him when they found out he was gay, even if they said that it was alright. He watched with slight amusement and slight horror as a cringe passed over Kurt's face. He was so incredibly confused.

"What was your favorite moment from high school?" Kurt asked, gently.

For Dave, the answer to that question was easy. "Graduation," he mumbled, even though it was cheesy and sounded like a negative thing. "I had already come out, I felt good about myself and moving on and my parents were proud of me."

"That's a pretty good reasoning," Kurt said.

The young waitress returned and took their orders. Kurt ordered with a red face. He was absolutely embarrassed at the idea of Dave doing all he was doing for him, but Dave didn't think it was a bad idea at all.

After she left them, Dave looked into Kurt's eyes, pondering what it'd be like if they kissed. He wondered what it would feel like to kiss Kurt again. He groaned, telling himself off about the very thought. Kurt was pregnant, vulnerable and needed more than a sappy dude with a crush. He had already forced a kiss on Kurt once and would never let it go. He stared for a long moment before yanking his gaze the other way.

"You're an angel Dave," Kurt said softly, jolting him out of his dreams with a start. "I don't understand how you've become so loving and brave. You're also a cute sap. You're everything you wanted to be."

"I'm just me."

"That's what I said," Kurt said with a shy smile.

"Who's the sap now?" Dave said, waiting for his lunch.


	7. Chapter 7

It was in the early afternoon of the next day that Kurt approached Dave with a darkened expression. "Dave," he said. "You've been an absolute angel to me and I know you say that I'm not putting you out, but I am. You've paid to feed me, cloth me and take me to the doctor for a child you have nothing to do with. You've taken time off from work. That has to have put a financial strain on you. I'm going to find Finn, my aunt on my mother's side, someone..."

"You...Kurt, you're not a problem..." he said quickly."Why are you willing to stay with distant family, who haven't checked up on you, but not me? I'm here for you Kurt. I want to help."

"They're family," Kurt muttered dejectedly, putting a hand on his oversized midsection. "They have to owe me somehow, even if I'm a genetic freak of nature. You're just an old classmate and I - I can't help but feel I'm exploiting the residual guilt you feel over bullying me. Trust me, David, I've more than forgiven that bully and he doesn't exist. He's been replaced by a wonderful man who owes me and my baby absolutely nothing."

"Kurt, I love you," he blurted out. He wanted to stop himself, but couldn't, so he dug his grave deeper. It was worth it in the long run if Kurt knew what was going on in his head. "Kurt, that bully loved you and so does this so-called wonderful man, okay?"

Kurt looked like someone who had just been slapped in the face. His jaw dropped, his mouth hung open and his eyes widened. Dave instantly regretted telling Kurt what he knew was the truth. He shook his head, as if he was working to dismiss the idea of what Dave had just told him. "That's just an old crush," he said dismissively, raising his gaze in a haughty, overdramatic manner. He spoke matter-of-factly, sternly. "I understand how you felt in high school, David. I was the first out gay man that you'd ever met. I had the same kind of relationship with Blaine, but you're too old to still think it's real."

He could not believe that the strongest emotions he'd ever felt were being called into question, treated like some dumb infatuation of a young, closeted, gay teen. "Kurt, I can assure you that it's not that," he said, sitting down. "It's not a dumb crush from when I was a kid at all. I know it's not the right time to throw this at you, but I just didn't want you to think I was helping you out because of some dumb guilt complex. You saved me."

"That's old news, past history…"

"Why wouldn't I want to save you back?" he asked. "Yeah, there is some old history in what's going on, because hell, that's who we were and reflects on who we are today, but my feelings for you are here and now, with me."

"You are so frustrating!" Kurt yelled, tears starting to well up in the corners of his eyes. "Do you want to know what's most frustrating about you, David? It's the fact that I absolutely don't understand you! I don't get anything about you. Your motives, your reasons…they're all confusing!"

He frowned at Kurt's assessment. He didn't mean to have confusing motives. He knew that he was far from a simple person but he wanted to let people in now. After years of being someone who was terrified of letting others inside, he wasn't that person anymore. He wanted Kurt to see the real him and know the truth. That had been why he so easily told him he loved him. That was the truth.

"I'm sorry."

Kurt looked up at the apology. He shook his head and threw his hands up in the air. "I have to go," he said, turning around and opening the door, walking out of the house. "I won't leave you hanging or worried Dave, I guess, but I just need a minute." Dave wanted to go after him but felt as though an invisible hand were holding onto him, stopping him. Fear took hold instantly when he realized that he had no way of contacting Kurt, no way of getting hold of him if he pulled back on the promise not to leave him hanging. Still, he didn't follow, knowing he had to give him time and space to make the calls, do what he had to do. After he did what he had to do, Dave would use all the police officer training and honed skills to find him. He wasn't letting Kurt Hummel go this time.

Dave knew that the local bar was a bad place to visit when hopeless and scared, but he could hardly help it. He left a note for Kurt if, no when, he returned and then took off. He sat at the bar for awhile. He had a few beers, his thoughts absolutely consumed by Kurt. He had been stupid to confess his love like that. Kurt's heart had just been broken by the dick who got him pregnant. He wasn't thinking about love and Dave just laid the hearts and flowers on him. No wonder he'd never been capable of holding a real relationship. He was an idiot. He took another drink when he thought about how stupid he was.

He knew that he was in love with Kurt though. It was rare that a day passed since high school that Kurt wasn't on his mind. He had been the one who saved him, inspired him and most importantly made him fall before he even understood what love was. It was easy for him to understand that he was in love with Kurt, but he knew that he should not have made that declaration.

He got up, frustrated. He decided to check the shopping center near his house; it was the only place in the city he recalled having a set of payphones. If Kurt was going to call Finn or some distant family member then he was going to need to find a payphone. Dave chuckled, applauding his own deductive reasoning skills (I'm a cop, I should know these things, he thought bitterly) and paying the bartender with a decent tip. He had to apologize for his stupid behavior.

The shopping center was mostly outdoors, with a few major chain stores. It was the middle of the week so it wasn't very crowded. Dave walked past several vendors and then over toward the area he knew housed payphones, directly across from a Wal-Mart store. He found the cluster of phone booths, glad that they still had some somewhere, despite the prevalence of cell phones. Now, he had to find Kurt and they had to talk. That was going to be the hardest part.


	8. Chapter 8

When he didn't find Kurt at one of the phones, panic coursed through him; however, he shoved it down. Kurt had promised that he wasn't going to leave Dave hanging. He was not going to freak out about it. He had more control over his emotions than that, or so he liked to pretend. He wandered off to the side of the phone booths.

Of course, control over his emotions was worthless when he nearly started crying upon seeing the pregnant man sitting on a bench near the bookstore. "Kurt," he breathed out, just so glad that his theory about where he'd find Kurt was correct. The man looked up at him and his big, beautiful blue eyes widened in shock. Dave quickly second-guessed himself, wondering if he should have let Kurt cool off, given him his time.

"What are you doing here, David?"

"I was worried about you," he said softly.

"I promised I'd-"

"I know," Dave said quickly. "I didn't doubt you at all Kurt. I just felt that I really had to apologize for what I did. It was stupid and impulsive. I knew that you were in no condition to hear something like that from anyone, but I said it anyway. I just didn't want you to leave me and the only thing I could think of that would keep you near was telling you the truth. It was a bad way to handle it."

Kurt looked at him, eyes still big, and then looked at his feet. He opened his mouth several times before he finally spoke. "I talked to Finn," he mumbled. "He lives in an apartment not far from Lima, actually. It was a nice reunion. We haven't talked much since my father's death. He said I'm welcome to stay with him and his roommate."

"Do you really want to leave?" Dave asked, desperately. "What do you need?"

"I don't know," Kurt said, head snapping back up as he looked to Dave. He looked infuriated, confused and like he was on the verge of tears. He took a deep breath that was drawn in with a shudder. "I don't know what I need. Well, I do, but I need to bridge the bonds between me and my family members that I broke. I need to get a decent paying job. I need to get revenge on Rick. I-I need to be an activist and do something good for all the guys like me in screwed up situations."

Dave hesitantly put a hand on Kurt's back. Kurt flinched but did not push him away. "If anyone can do all of those things and more it's you," he said seriously, "but you need to have this baby first. She has to come first."

Dave and Kurt sat there for a moment. Kurt seemed to be taking in his words, rubbing his stomach idly. "I do need to focus on her," he finally mumbled. "It's just hard for me. I don't have control over myself and my baby which freaks me out. I was always in so much control, David. I didn't let anyone have that power!"

Dave stared as he realized something about Kurt that he already knew but had not spent much time thinking about. He was strong, prideful and had confidence in himself. He was not used to letting someone else take control of his life. He touched his arm and Kurt turned to him.

"Did you even let people care for you when we were kids?" he asked.

"No," Kurt admitted, his voice lowering at those words. He looked up at Dave with tears glimmering in his perfect blue eyes. "When my mom died, I started taking care of me and my dad. God, Dave, I miss my dad so much. That was when everything started to fall apart when I l-lost him." He looked away, tears in his eyes. It was obvious that he was struggling not to fall apart. "Why did I have to lose my dad so young?"

"I don’t know," he admitted, hugging Kurt as close to him as he felt comfortable. He knew that Kurt and his father had an amazing relationship. He never had anything quite like that with his father, but still, he would be devastated to ever lose the man. "Kurt, I don't know, but I do think that he's watching you and proud of you…"

Kurt laughed bitterly. "You know, I don't believe in heaven," he whispered, "but…I want to believe that too."

Dave's head snapped upward when he heard some whispers. They were coming from near one of the stands, from a group of teenage guys in letterman jackets. They reminded him so much of the gang he'd hung out with in high school that his stomach tied in knots. He heard the words "terty fag," and his heart skipped a beat.

"Really?" Kurt asked, looking up and rolling his eyes. Despite his tears and the fact that he was emotionally drained, he looked for a second like the haughty teenage boy that Dave remembered so much.

"It's disgusting man!" one yelled, loudly. He had no concern about being heard. "We should string em all up, wipe em off the planet."

Dave stood up. He was no longer a bully but he was more than capable of intimidating a couple of teenage jerks. "Hey there boys," he said, giving them a fake smile and speaking in a condescending voice. He had learned better ways to fight bullying and taunts. "My name's David Karofsky and I'm an off duty member of the NYPD. Do you know what that means? Well, I'll tell you. That means that I can arrest you for hate speech."

"I didn't use any hate speech…" the boy mumbled.

Dave flashed his ID, which he always kept on him. He knew that harassment laws wouldn't carry but some idiot teenagers weren't going to know that. He looked at them with his arms crossed. "Now, would you boys do me a favor and apologize to Mr. Hummel here? I know that you would never have intended him to hear the remarks you made, but he did. That's unfortunate, don't you think?"

"Dude, we're…sorry," one teen said quickly, obviously realizing the need to cover his ass. They left, moments later. Dave wore a satisfied smirk for the first time in the whole day.

Kurt was staring at him with a confused look. His mouth hung open and he shook his head in surprise. He laughed, but then more tears came like he didn't quite understand what was going on. "David, I don't know what to say to what just happened."

"Will you go home with me?" Dave asked.

Kurt nodded. "Tell me first," he said, "were you telling the truth about loving me?"

"Undoubtedly, but let's talk about that another time. Let's go home."


	9. Chapter 9

"Yeah," Kurt said, leaning against the arm of the sofa as he spoke on the phone with Finn again. "I've been sort of staying with Dave Karofsky. Yes, I remember how things went down in high school Finn. It's also been seven years. He's absolutely been amazing." He gave Dave a smile as he spoke. "Yes, yes. I think I am going to be staying here for awhile, at least until the baby is born but I still want to see you."

They spoke for a long time. Kurt soon hung up the phone. He looked up at Dave with big, wet eyes. "Thanks for bringing me back," he said. "Finn said he's going to come down here this weekend for sure. I'm really eager to see him. We have a lot to make up for."

Kurt leaned over and hugged him. Dave felt his heart leap, surge with joy and he laughed over how stupid that was. He squeezed Kurt lightly, afraid of hurting the baby or his delicate frame. He then let go and laid back. "Kurt, I know things are going to get better for you."

"I sure hope," Kurt muttered. "I feel so bad Dave. I don't know how I let myself get so out of contact with my family. It's just...when my father passed away, it's like everything fell apart. I couldn't stand being near Finn or Carole and I threw myself into work. If I just worked my ass off I'd forget."

Dave had never experienced it firsthand but he sort of understood how people could fall out with each other, even family. He looked Kurt in the eye. "Kurt, it seems to me that it was defense mechanism," he said gently. "You just did what you had to when it came to avoiding the hurt around you. You hurt so much when you lost your dad that you couldn't take other people's pain..."

Kurt sniffed and smiled. "You're a smart guy Dave."

"I don't know about that," he said with a shy smile. He tried his best to be smart, but sometimes he fell short, even now. He couldn't always do everything that he wanted to. That plain sucked sometimes. "I just know that you're going to be okay. I'll help you out with what I can and the rest you'll make up for. You're going to get back on your feet."

"I've been barred from a lot of my industry based on silly discrimination," Kurt mumbled, rolling his eyes, "but I will get a job after the baby's born. It just sucks to think of anything but my job. I mean, it was one of my dreams to get involved in the industry."

"One of..." Dave mused. "Was there another, Kurt?"

"Well, of course," Kurt said, his eyes getting distant, "I have always dreamt of becoming a Broadway star. That's highly unlikely though. It's even more unlikely that I could ever make it there, especially once it comes out that I'm a father, well, the way that I am."

Dave hugged Kurt to him lightly. "If you want it, it'll happen, Kurt," he assured. "Now let's go home, relax and rent a couple of movies. You can suggest some musical ones or something."

Kurt's eyes lit up at that. They were so beautiful it hurt. "Okay. I can educate you!"

Dave was more than prepared for his education. He wanted to learn basically everything that Kurt Hummel could teach him, whether it was what musicals were the best or what to do with his life.

After that, they watched a couple of musical movies that Kurt deemed as classics. Dave was glad that Kurt wasn't in his head at all, because then the other man would realize he was far more focused on what was happening with them then and there, rather than the wonderful music he was 'finally being exposed to."

Kurt fell asleep somewhere during the second half of The Sound of Music. He turned around and tossed one arm over Dave's waist, lying on his back but teetering on his side enough to hold onto Dave. Dave wrapped both arms around Kurt's form to keep him steady and from rolling over any further. He was still tiny despite his condition. It seemed like his stomach was the only thing to expand. Dave took a breath and hesitantly touched the sleeping man's stomach, wondering if it was a violation of some kind of trust to do so.

Kurt took a deep breath but didn't wake up. Dave laid his hand flat against that almost surreal feeling bump. Nothing happened immediately but as he moved his hand lightly over the smooth surface, he felt a fluttering. "Oh my god..."

"Ava stop kickin," Kurt mumbled. Dave wondered if Kurt's mumbles meant he found his daughter a name. He knew he'd have to ask later, but right now it was Kurt's time to rest. He relaxed content with his life.

Two days later, Finn came around the same time that Dave had to go to work. He watched the brothers embrace, in a tear-filled reunion. It was good for him, to see the two of them come back together in that way. He took it as the perfect moment to duck out and get back to work, leaving them alone. He was content with life and determined to do things right by Kurt. Apparently, the change in his demeanor was obvious to one sassy partner.

"Looking good Karofsky," Kendall praised when Dave got into their squad car. He smiled at her compliment but rolled his eyes in protest. "I take it that things are going a little better with Kurt?"

Dave nodded, keeping his eyes on the road, even though Kendall was driving. "His stepbrother, who he fell out of contact with, has come back into the picture. I think things will be okay."

"I have never seen you so in love," she said with a faint chuckle. "I hope all goes well Dave."

He really was in love. It was pathetic. The day was nice and easy, but as long as ever. The length was probably good for Kurt, because it gave him time to spend with Finn, catching up and getting close to the brother that he had lost. When Dave finally came home that evening, Kurt was napping but Finn was sitting on the sofa, looking a little haunted. Dave took off his uniform and quickly went into the bedroom to change.

When he returned, Finn was looking at him with big, grateful eyes.

"Karofsky, I don't know how to thank you," Finn mumbled desperately. His eyes were deeply expressive. He was a different man, it seemed. "Kurt's my brother and I love him. We just both let the fallout after Burt...passed away...really get to us."

"First of all, it's Dave," he said, "and second of all I get it dude. Pain will make you do some stupid, stupid stuff, even if that stuff is hurting your real family."

Finn sighed and glanced toward the room where Kurt was napping. "Dude, it broke me. Burt was my father too. I didn't know what to do when Kurt started giving me and my mom the cold shoulder."

"I don't think I would have either," Dave admitted.

"It was hard after Burt died," Finn said. "Kurt blames himself for the way he pulled away from me and my mom, but we would never blame him because we pulled away too. We didn't know how to deal with seeing Burt in him. They're...you gotta believe me that they're the same person in so many ways."

"Dude, I believe you. You were all dealing with a terrible thing, a loss that's hard to come back from, and you handled it in many ways, some of which just weren't good ways."

Finn looked to him and smiled. "You're so much like Kurt," he said wearily. "You're smart man, I didn't think that'd happen."

"Me neither, I guess a lot has changed."

Finn looked away distantly. Dave could see the wetness in his eyes. "I can't believe I screwed up so bad that he didn't come to me even when he's pregnant. I mean God, he's having a baby and went homeless before he decided to come to me." He sighed and sat up straight. "I love him you know? He's my brother. I just can't believe my little brother was homeless." Finn wiped his eyes and looked up at Dave. He smiled sadly and took a breath. Dave quickly took the opportunity to duck into the small kitchen.

He grabbed two beers out of the fridge, the sudden coldness hitting him in the face. He returned to the sofa and handed one over to the other man. "It's a tough world out there for people like Kurt," he said. "After the baby is born, I plan on getting some input from Kurt and doing some advocacy for Tertius individuals."

"I never knew it was that bad for them."

"Me neither," Dave said. "It's dumb. Why would people hate so much on someone because of genetics? Kurt's a dude, but he loves that baby so much and she's healthy, strong."

"She is?"

"Yep, we saw a doctor and I felt her kick the other day."

"You felt her…wow…" Finn mumbled, taking a drink.

"Can I join in on this girly chat?" Kurt asked, smiling at the two of them. He walked in looking refreshed and rejuvenated. He chuckled sweetly, sitting on the couch. He laid a hand on his swollen belly, giving a yawn. "Are you boys having fun?"

Finn panicked a little. "We're good," he said. "How are you? Is the baby okay? Is everything alright? Dave mentioned that she kicked the other day."

Kurt smiled. "She's fine Finn," he said. "She has been kicking up a storm. I had no idea that you felt it Dave."

"Oh yeah, I felt," he said. "You also mumbled Ava last night. Is that a full name or …"

"I've actually been thinking Avery."

"Isn't that where they keep birds?" Finn asked, tilting his head to the side.

That lead to Kurt wrapping an arm around him and hugging tight. "I missed you so freakin' much Finn," he whispered. "No that's an aviary. Avery is getting more common these days for girls and has a pretty quality to it. It means elf counsel and it just seems right for my girl. Her middle name's gonna be Karen for my mom. Avery Karen Hummel."

"I like it."

Kurt sighed, satisfied. "So do I."


	10. Chapter 10

The month between Finn's initial arrival and Kurt's going into labor was a busy one. Dave worked long hours but made as much time as he could for the man living with him. Finn came back every other week or so and promised to be there when the baby came. Kurt and Dave got much closer. He would never push a relationship between them but he could not deny that there was a lot of emotion and closeness.

It was a warm day, surprisingly, so neither Kurt nor Dave was wearing much clothing. Kurt, though in a t-shirt and boxers, had a thin blanket over his lap. He looked embarrassed.

"Kurt, why do you have that blanket on?" he asked gently, plopping down on the sofa next to Kurt and stretching out. "Don't tell me that after all this time around me, you're shy?"

Kurt shrugged. Dave gave him a small smile in response. "C'mon," he said, poking the boy's shoulder playfully.

Kurt rolled his eyes, blushing wearily. He cast off the blanket and sleepily shoved Dave. "I'm gigantic, hot and sore," he said yawning.

"You're gorgeous," Dave blurted out, knowing that he'd promised himself, but sometimes with Kurt around it was hard. Kurt wrecked his mental state.

Kurt laughed, leaning on Dave's shoulder. His pretty eyelashes fluttered shut. They sat like that for a long time, half cuddled into each other but not too close because of the heat. The TV was on but neither man was watching. They laid together like that for about a half hour before Kurt whined, a low, surprised sound and his whole body tensed.

"David, it's…" Kurt stood up with a hand resting on his large stomach. Dave saw the total terror cross his face. He knew that months of preparation could not have brought Kurt to this moment. "Oh my God, Dave, I think the baby is coming."

Despite the fact that he was scared, no terrified, Dave had spent years training on how to deal with crisis. He took a deep breath and jogged over to the bedroom. He grabbed a t-shirt and loose pants. He returned to Kurt, who was hyperventilating. "Relax, okay?" Dave said, slipping the t-shirt over his head. He smoothed his hair out and helped him step into the pants. As he managed to get his keys from the kitchen, Kurt grabbed him around the wrist. This forced Dave to look directly at him.

"David, I'm scared."

Dave reached out with the hand that Kurt hadn't gripped tightly and just held his hand. "I'm here for you, okay?" he said, keeping Kurt's eyes locked on his. "I'm going to support you completely. I'm going to be there the whole time and I'm going to call Finn. He's going to come as soon as he finds out that his niece is on the way. Then you're going to give birth and Avery is finally going to see the light and her wonderful, wonderful father."

Kurt met his eyes and gave him a gentle smile. It was delicate, scared but focused. "Okay, can we please get out of here now?"

He drove Kurt to the hospital easily, keeping calm despite the fact that he was very nervous. He wanted the best for Kurt and his baby and had made sure they were at a good hospital for the actual birth. Once he got Kurt to the reception desk and into a nurse's hands he went to call Finn. "Please come back," Kurt said in a raspy voice. "I know it's asking a lot but I really, really need you to be here."

"Don't worry, I will be."

Dave didn't want Kurt to worry about that. He quickly stepped outside and dialed Finn's number. "Hey," Finn answered automatically. Dave almost laughed at that. The boy was slightly clueless at times and probably hadn't checked who it was. If he saw it was Dave he would have automatically assumed what it was all about.

"Finn, Kurt's having the baby," he said. "Come down as soon as you can. I'll be here with him the whole time."

There was a long pause and then Finn spoke. "Oh man, okay I'm coming."

When Dave returned they were already moving Kurt into an operating room. "He's coming with me," Kurt said quickly, meeting Dave's eyes. His crystal blue eyes, the ones that Dave was so in love with, were filled with tears. Dave met them and gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile. The nurse in the room handed him some scrubs and quickly instructed him to stay out of the way.

"I just don't know if I can do this," Kurt said. Dave tried his best to focus on Kurt and away from what the doctors were doing. He had seen gory accidents and read bloody police reports but there was no way he could witness surgery being performed on someone he cared about so deeply. There was too much of a personal attachment. He distracted himself away from his thoughts by comforting Kurt.

"Of course you can. You're the bravest person I know and I believe in you."

The process didn't take too long, especially considering the fact that Dave focused in on Kurt and away from all things surgical. He couldn't handle that kind of thing. He held Kurt's hand as Kurt looked up at him. It was very profound, the way that they just stared into each other's eyes for the longest time. He knew that Kurt was unaware of what was going on with his body, but still, it was amazing.

The baby's cry shocked Dave, even though logically he knew that was why there were there. It was a loud, shrill scream. Kurt was a little hazy from the drugs, but his eyes widened at that sound. He squeezed Dave's hand tighter than ever and Dave squeezed it right back. The bustling around them was like a whirlwind and it seemed to take hours before a young looking nurse told them quietly, "a very healthy girl." She honestly seemed to be the only medical professional in the room who paid attention to them.

It was a long while before Dave was able to see her, but when he did see the little bundle being cleaned, his heart caught in his throat. She was red, blotchy and all scrunched up, but at the same time was seriously the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Kurt, dazed, kept speaking in hushed tones that Dave could barely hear. "Is she alright? Is she here? Is my baby here? Where's my baby…"

"She's here," Dave said tenderly. "She's being taken care of. She's perfect Kurt."

The same young nurse who offered them information and support brought Dave a stool. "Your legs are shaking," she whispered in his heart. "Sit here until we have Mr. Hummel all stitched up and moved so that you two can meet the little miss."

Dave sat. He couldn't believe that his legs were shaking. He was a cop. He had seen horrible, gruesome things that didn't bring him to this. "I'm a cop," he mumbled in disbelief, under his breath.

"Aw honey, nothing is like seeing the person you love have a child."

Once Kurt was all stitched up and moved, they finally let him hold her. The nurse places Avery into Kurt's arms and he just smiled. Dazed but so happy, he smiled. He cradled her in his arms like the precious thing he was. He ran his fingers through her delicate hair, just taking her in with every sense. "I am so happy that I'm finally looking into your eyes, sweetness," he mumbled. He was crying of pue joy. Dave had never seen such a beautiful image. He watched them for a long time until Kurt met his eyes. "Dave stop staring and scoot closer. I want to introduce you."

He got closer, gently reaching out to touch her hand. Her tiny fingers wiggled softly against one of his. "Avery," Kurt said formally. "This is Dave. He saved our lives and your daddy loves him."

Dave's heart, the same one that had been caught in his throat, dropped back down in his excitement.

Afterward, after Avery had been taken to the newborn ward and the doctor's had finished with Kurt for the time being, Kurt's eyelids drooped. His head was hanging, but he seemed to be fighting the sleep caused by his ordeal and the sedatives given.

"You need to sleep," Dave instructed, watching Kurt as he struggled against sleep. "You need all the rest that you can get."

Kurt nodded. "Mhm," he said groggily. His eyelashes fluttered and once again his eyes closed. "Before I go to sleep I just wanted to thank you. You did save me and Avery. You're our hero. I've fallen in love Dave."

Dave wanted to say more but he couldn't. Seconds before he thought up a proper response, Kurt drifted off for real.


End file.
